Mamata Banerjee's medical report should be made public: BJP urges Election Commission

The Election Commission admitted to security lapse and ordered that Director (Security) Vivek Sahay, an IPS officer, be removed from his post and placed under suspension immediately.

Image courtesy: ANI

Kolkata: A delegation of the Bharatiya Janata Party delegation`s West Bengal delegation met the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) here on Sunday demanding the medical report of Chief Minister Mamata Mamata Banerjee to be made public. "Mamata Banerjee first called it an attack, then accident, and today she took out a procession. Her medical report should be made public as we suspect that doctors were influenced", BJP MP Arjun Singh told media persons after the meeting. 

The delegation also handed over a letter to CEO over the same issue, and said, "The alleged attack has been used to extract the maximum possible political mileage. The Election Commission of India in its report today has ruled out the possibility of any such attack. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its cadre have attempted to use the Chief Minister`s purported injury which seems self-inflicted in order to gain sympathy and cause violence in different parts of the state." 

The letter from the BJP state unit stated that TMC`s allegation on BJP regarding the attack is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, adding "It is necessary that truth be brought out before public so that staged incidents do not repeat to deceive the masses and manipulate their voting choices." 

The Election Commission, however, said that the injury caused to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram was not a result of an "attack", as per the findings of the state`s Observers and Chief Secretary.

Notably, the EC admitted to security lapse and ordered that Director (Security) Vivek Sahay, an IPS officer, be removed from his post and placed under suspension immediately. The official source told ANI that there is no evidence of an attack carried out on Banerjee. 

Earlier on March 10, Banerjee had alleged that she was pushed by a few unidentified people during her election campaigning. She was later brought to Kolkata`s SSKM Hospital by road from Nandigram. She has sustained "severe bone injuries" on her left foot and ankle as well as bruises and injuries on her shoulder, forearm, and neck, according to the report of her initial medical examination.

Mamata Banerjee, who was discharged from the hospital on March 12, held a roadshow in Kolkata on Sunday. She was confined to a wheelchair and was accompanied by senior TMC leaders and security personnel pushing her wheelchair.

The West Bengal poll is likely to witness a triangular contest with TMC, Congress-Left alliance, and the BJP in the fray for the 294-member state Assembly. The eight-phase poll will start from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. 

TMC bhagao, BJP lao, Bangla bachao: Smriti Irani 

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday took a jibe at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and said the people of the state wanted `TMC (Trinamool Congress) bhagao, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) lao, Bangla bachao`.

Addressing a public rally at Salboni to support Medinipur BJP candidate Samit Das, the Union Minister said that Mamata Banerjee took undue credit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s welfare schemes for the poor in the state.

"PM Modi sent Rs 4 lakh crore from Delhi for the poor people and the development of the state, but Didi, when you were supporting the previous Congress governments at the Centre, how much money did you spent?... Didi has supported those who have looted India`s treasury and have raised their voices against the nation," she is quoted as saying by ANI.

(With Agency Inputs)